


first impressions (don't define us)

by Danni_Lea



Series: the families you make [1]
Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: Bisexual Mac, Gift Fic, M/M, Whump, entirely Amirah's fault
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-01
Updated: 2019-05-01
Packaged: 2020-02-10 17:09:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,661
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18664729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Danni_Lea/pseuds/Danni_Lea
Summary: Desi was stillnewto this team, this makeshift family Jack had entrusted to her protection. She was bound to be wrong sometimes, she just wished it didn't have the consequences that it did.





	first impressions (don't define us)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [thatdragonchic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatdragonchic/gifts).



> For Amirah, because this is entirely her fault.

Desi sat in the uncomfortable bedside chair, arms and legs crossed as she stared at Mac, ears tuned to the steady beat of the heart monitor. Aside from the rising and falling of his chest he was completely still, amplifying the feeling of wrong that sat heavy in her chest. Her priority mission – as handed down to her from Jack – was to protect Mac, and seeing him lying still, unconscious, and hurt in the hospital bed made her feel like she failed. It wasn’t a feeling she felt often, nor was it one she enjoyed.

Maybe it was weird to hold a beside vigil for someone you would deny even being friends with, but Jack had given her a very thorough briefing before she officially joined the Phoenix. He gave her a run down of the team ( _are you going to be telling me all their secrets Jack? - hah, no. Just the things you need to know to protect them. They’ll tell you the rest when they feel like they can trust you, Des._ ), telling her to never leave MacGyver alone in the hospital because inevitably he was going to take it apart out of boredom ( _don’t leave him especially if he’s on heavy drugs. Bad memories for him you know?_ ).

Also, guilt can be a heck of a motivator – MacGyver took that bullet to save her, and its her job to protect him.

She’d been there for several hours, listening to the heart monitor and watching Mac breath when a man she’d never seen before burst into the room. Desi was on her feet with her gun drawn before the man could take more than two steps into the room. His curly dark hair was disheveled, as if he’d been running his hands through it. He had the start of a beard on his face, neatly trimmed like he was normally very tidy. His clothes were wrinkled from having been worn and probably slept in, but she noted they were higher end. Good quality. His dark eyes were puffy and red like he’d been crying.

When he’d first entered he’d had eyes only for Mac, but they’d snapped quickly to her when she cocked the gun and released the safety. Every line in his body went tense as his eyes ran over her – assessing her, how likely she was to shoot.

She was very likely to shoot if he made one wrong move towards her charge.

“Who are you, and how did you get into this room?”

The look the man sends her would probably be lethal under normal circumstances, but his swollen eyes just made him look impossibly sad.

“I’m his _fiance_ , Agent Ngyuen, and I’d appreciate it if you put the gun away.”

Desi narrowed her eyes and slowly edged her way around the bed, “I’m sorry but no one has ever mentioned a fiance. I’m going to need more than just your word.”

She tilts her head and gives him a falsely sweet smile ( _damn! Pull that smile out whenever you and Mac inevitably get cornered and the bad guys are gonna be shakin’ in their boots_ ) “I hope you understand.”

His eyes narrowed, “I got a call almost half a day ago sayin’ my future husband just might die. So no, I really don’t understand. And I’m not going anywhere until I know he’s going to be fine. Call who you want. I’m not leaving.”

Desi tenses, shifts, and slowly reaches for her phone with her free hand. She doesn’t like giving a potential opponent the advantage, but she’s not arrogant or reckless enough to believe she’s on top of her game after her vigil. She’s been awake since they were initially briefed nearly two and a half days ago. She didn’t walk away completely unscathed – the bullet graze on her left arm twinged as she pulled her phone free from her pocket. She wanted backup, and she wanted it now. Leanna, Bozer, and Riley should be close – returning from a food run. Matty can have agents join her in Mac’s room in less than three minutes.

She has her phone out with the screen unlocked when Riley enters the room.

Riley looks exhausted. She hasn’t slept either, keeping a vigil that alternated between Mac’s room and the waiting room. Hospital staff came to the rather natural conclusion that Riley is Mac’s sister ( _listen, Des. Mac and Ri have had it rough. They’re the closest I’m ever gonna get to having kids of my own_ ) and no one sees the need to dispute the assumption. Doctors and nurses are more open to discussions with a distraught sister than an overly vigilant bodyguard.

“You can put the gun down, Desi. Jasper won’t hurt Mac.”

Riley reaches up and rubs Jasper’s shoulder has she passes him on her way to one of the empty chairs in the room. She grabs her discarded laptop and props it up in her lap before flipping it open, checking on her search for Jack ( _I can’t tell them where I’m goin’ or where I’m gonna be. I can’t tell you either. If it’s something I absolutely need to know – if I need to be there – Matty will find me_ ) even though they all know she won’t find him.

Desi purses her lips and lowers her gun. She knows Riley – trusts her even, to a degree. But keeping them safe is her job, her duty, her mission. The favor she owes Jack.

“Try anything funny and I’ll shoot you,” she says, slowly walking back to her seat on the other side of Mac’s bed. The man- Jasper, Riley said – snorts and covers the distance to Mac’s bed in a few short strides, grabbing his hand and lacing their fingers together. Jasper runs his thumb along the back of Mac’s hand in slow soothing circles, eyes locked on his face, watching intently for any reaction.

Riley looks up from her computer and says, “The doctor says he should be waking up from the anesthesia soon.”

“Hear that honey?” Jasper says, “the doctor says its about time you wake up. Don’t stress me out more by stayin’ asleep because of your ongoing one sided war against all medical professionals.”

Riley laughs and goes back to her computer. Desi continues to watch as Jasper determinedly ignores her and puts all his focus on Mac. He’s murmuring softly to Mac – not in English, Desi can tell, but he’s quiet enough she can’t confidently identify the language. He’s grabbed the only other chair in the room and is sitting on the edge as if he’s trying to make the minimal distance between them even shorter.

Desi sits. And she watches.

\---

Riley had left the room again to give Leanna, Bozer, and Jasper’s friends – family, maybe? - the latest update. No change, still unconscious.

Jasper himself hasn’t moved, hand still curled protectively around Mac’s as he continues to speak quietly to him. His phone has gone off half a dozen times since he entered the room and Desi watched him ignore it every time. His attention was fully on Mac. Watching attentively for any change.

Desi had long since re-holstered her gun. Riley wouldn’t have left the room if she wasn’t comfortable with Jasper being there ( _The team is pretty protective of each other, don’t be afraid to follow their lead if you’re ever unsure, Des. My kids are pretty smart_ ), but she had no plans on leaving any time soon. Not until she knew Mac would be okay. She wasn’t going to fail her mission a second time.

She hadn’t tried to talk to Mac’s mysterious fiance again, nor had he tried to talk to her. To Desi it seemed as if for Jasper the whole world had shrunk into this tiny space that only fit him and Mac. The only sound between Jasper and Desi was the steady beeping of the heart monitor, as they both anxiously waited for him to wake up ( _Mac does everything in his own time, and he’s a stubborn little shit sometimes, but he’ll be okay_ ).

Desi runs a hand over her face. Her whole body feels like its been weighed down – she’s been awake too long, not really eating much, and drinking enough water to keep from getting dehydrated, but that was it. Just because Riley had no problem leaving Jasper alone in the room, didn't mean Desi would. She didn’t know him or his intentions and at this point she owed Mac her life.

Also, she might have some of her own trust issues ( _you’re gonna fit in just fine, Desiree_ ).

So the two of them are the first to notice when Mac starts to wake up.

Mac lets out a low moan, his head turning towards Jasper as Jasper stands.

“C’mon sweetheart, open those pretty blue eyes for me,” Jasper says. Mac’s eyelids flutter and his eyes drift around the room, not seeming to be able to focus on any one point. Desi was on her feet without quite realizing it.

Jasper squeezed Mac’s hand, trying to get him to focus. “Right here, Mac. Try and focus on me.”

Mac’s eyes finally landed and stayed on Jasper, and his brows furrowed slightly downward.

“Jessie?” Mac slurred.

Jasper gave him a shaky smile, “Yeah, Jones. Its me.”

Desi watches the two of them from her place by the wall. Mac hasn’t taken his off Jasper since he managed to focus on him. He hadn’t even noticed her, even as she began to edge around to foot of the bed towards the door.

“You’re cry’n.”

“I’m crying ‘cause you got _shot_ you idiot.”

“I did?”

Desi smiled as she walked out the door to update the team. Mac’s reaction to the mysterious fiance were enough to let her know that Jasper was alright, but she’d keep an eye on him regardless – she was responsible for protecting Jack’s family, after all.

In the meantime, she had the rest of Mac’s family to update.

**Author's Note:**

> I will almost definitely come back to this and write more. Just not _yet._


End file.
